Beason apologizes for calling out Peppers

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on October 15, 2009, 8:02 PM EST

Last week, Panthers linebacker Jon Beason said during a radio appearance on WFNZ in Charlotte that he planned to talk to defensive end Julius Peppers, who is playing more like a guy who has just gotten a big-money, long-term contract and less like a guy who is actually still chasing one.

Of course, once Beason made his declaration to . . . the entire Charlotte listening area, there was no reason to talk to Peppers. And so Beason didn’t, and won’t.

“After what happened I realized I was wrong and there are certain things
that you shouldn’t say in the public and there are certain things that
should remain in-house,” Beason said Thursday, again on WFNZ. “That is where I made my
mistake. After I got a lot of negative pub[licity] from it I decided
not to talk to [Peppers]. . . . I shouldn’t have said what I said and I
decided not to talk to Pep afterward.”

Regardless of whether Peppers caught wind of Beason’s remarks — and surely he did — teammates believe it’s unnecessary to talk to Peppers, publicly or privately, about his performance.

“Julius is not a hermit crab. He knows, he reads the papers,” linebacker Na’il Diggs
said, according to Steve Reed of the Gaston Gazette. “I’m sure there are all kinds of pressures from the outside, from
the media, talking about him or whatever. He’s been getting it all
offseason, so I’m sure it’s nothing new to him. He knows exactly what’s
out there. It doesn’t need to be brought to light, underlined or
highlighted. I think Jon, in all fairness, didn’t really try to offend
anybody or call anybody out.”

“It’s one of those things that’s a real sensitive situation and he
could have handled it a lot better,” defensive tackle Damione Lewis said. “I think he knows
that.”

Either way, Peppers needs to step it up. And if being called out upsets him, he can dry his eyes with the more than $17 million in small bills that he’s received for a single football season. Though 25 percent of said football season, he has 3.0 sacks.

Peppers got two of them against the Redskins, in the days after being called out.

i do agree with florio on that last part, cause julianne pfeffers cant line up against detroit every week and get handed 3 sacks.

BigMikey says:Oct 15, 2009 9:01 PM

Yes, every damn week. I want to see him in the Pro Bowl, give ‘em hell, Pep!

SmackMyVickUp says:Oct 15, 2009 9:05 PM

Peppers made it clear that he was not interested in returning to the Carolina Panthers for the 2009 season and was hell bent on playing as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 system somewhere else.
The Panthers’ decision to place the franchise tag on Peppers with their knowledge of his desire to go elsewhere is one of the most debated and heated topics in the history of this franchise.
To put Peppers’ franchise tag cost in perspective, he accounts for roughly one-eighth of the Panthers salary cap for their 53-man roster.
After being stuck with the franchise tag, Peppers refused to sign the tender. He demanded out of Carolina by whatever means necessary. Peppers went as far as to make a list of four teams that he would accept a trade to, a list that included the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys.
Not likely to get anything close to franchise tag tender if he doesn’t pick it up.

BigEasy says:Oct 15, 2009 9:13 PM

Why is he apologizing…the team sucks…he should be allowed to call out people that are over paid and either suck or dogging it (see Jake Delhome and Julianne Peppers)…Steve Smith ran the wrong route against the Cowboys cause he was feeling a different route(pick 6 for the Cowgirls)….call him out too. The bright spot with the Panthers is that the Saints get to play them twice…Yah!!!

twinkletoes says:Oct 15, 2009 10:27 PM

The Panthers were crazy enough to allow Peppers the opportunity to even $17 million for one year as a defensive end. He couldn’t justify that money if he averaged a sack per game. There’s no way that there gonna give him $20 million plus for another single year, unless they are totally out of their minds.
The Panthers season is all but over, since there’s no hope on the horizon at QB. There’s still a chance they can rustle up a decent draft pick from a team that needs Peppers’ services to help them make a push into the playoffs. I’m looking at you, Green Bay and (gulp) Denver. As a Raiders fan, I’m praying it’s NOT Denver.
Don’t know why the Chargers haven’t offered something to the Brownies for DT Shaun Rogers; he could cure what ails them. Plus, Brownies management are clearly the biggest trade suckers in the league. Hell, maybe Green Bay should try to fleece Joe Thomas from them!

CarolinazKING says:Oct 16, 2009 12:21 AM

Smackmyvick, up you again dnt kno what ur talking about.
im guessing you didnt know they were negotiating a long tem deal.
and bigeasy, how bout u call out reggie bush and ride your fraud team.
and twinkletoes, your raiders season was over n ota’s.

Krow says:Oct 16, 2009 8:16 AM

Why the hell can’t these pampered players be “called out” for their bad performance? Everyone else in the world is expected to earn their pay. Why not them? Why are they so sensitive that it has to be butt kissing 24/7?

Chandler Bing says:Oct 16, 2009 8:33 AM

CarolinazKING,
Not familiar with your language, please translate.

slipkid says:Oct 16, 2009 9:26 AM

3-4? julianne pfeffers is crazy. she cant hold up to the beating a 3-4 DE gets. not big enough.
she isnt doing a great job as a 4-3 DE now.
also cant play LB in a 3-4 – cant cover receivers.
julianne should just go sulk and eat a whole tub of ice cream.

HATERADE says:Oct 16, 2009 11:20 AM

why apologize, my friend?
you don’t hear eric mangini apologizing for being a lame coach… you don’t hear jimmy raye apologizing for having the weakest play calling in the entire nfl… you don’t hear j. russel for pretending to be a quarter back.
the truth is the truth!!!!!
the only apology needed to be said that whole week was the one from (dumb @$$) dre bly!!!

mwcarolina says:Oct 16, 2009 10:11 PM

no, he shouldnt apologize, Peppers needed to be called out, and yes Peppers had a good game, but he beat the Redskins who have the worst offensive line in the nfl now since Samuels is hurt.